While visiting St. Thomas, be sure to take the short ferry ride to the island of St. John, home of Virgin Islands National Park. The only way to get to St. John is by boat, and the island’s natural beauty and marine life is well worth the ride. Over 40% of Virgin Islands National Park is underwater so to get the full experience, grab your snorkel and take a dip! This guide covers the best snorkeling beaches in Virgin Islands National Park to add to your itinerary.
Maho Bay Beach
Best for: Turtles, tropical fish, reef, and sandy bottom near shore
With its abundance of sea turtles and colorful reef, Maho Bay Beach tops our list for best snorkeling beaches in Virgin Islands National Park. Turtles can be found munching on the sea grass right off shore, and a reef teeming with corals, urchins, and tropical fish extends along the rocky eastern coastline of Maho Bay.
Visit in the morning when there are fewer beach-goers and more turtles. Maho Bay Beach gets crowded later in the day.
Trunk Beach
Best for: Snorkeling trail with signage, unique cay close to shore, tropical fish, and sandy bottom near the shoreline
Trunk Bay is a stunning beach with a cay close to shore. The snorkeling trail with underwater signage is a great way to learn about the sea life you’ll see while snorkeling. Along with many types of corals and tropical fish, we spotted a sting ray and a barracuda!
Trunk Beach is very popular – popular enough to have a substantial taxi waiting area in the parking lot. If you have a car, you may have trouble finding a parking spot. Although the parking lot is almost always at capacity, the beach is large enough that it doesn’t feel overly crowded.
Honeymoon Beach and Salomon Beach
Best for: Short hike or golf cart ride, two beaches in one stop, tropical fish, and reef
Honeymoon Beach and Salomon Beach are two stunning white sand beaches, and the rocky outcropping between them has a variety of corals and tropical fish. These two beaches are close enough together that you can walk or swim between them for a two-for-one beach visit.
Honeymoon Beach and Salomon Beach aren’t as easy to get to as other beaches in St. John. Because of this, they are often less crowded. There are three ways to access the beaches: hike, boat, or golf cart. Golf cart rides to Honeymoon Beach are available from Caneel Bay through Virgin Island Eco Tours. To hike to Honeymoon Beach and Salomon Beach from Cruz Bay, head to the Cruz Bay Visitor Center to request a free permit for Lind Point Trail. The hike along Lind Point Trail from the visitor center parking lot is ~2 miles round trip. The trail is rocky and steep in some spots so closed toed shoes are recommended.
Hawksnest Beach
Best for: Elkhorn coral reef, fewer crowds, and tropical fish
Hawksnest Beach is a quiet beach with plenty of parking spots. There are three sections of reef that extend perpendicular to shore. These shallow reefs mostly consist of fragile Elkhorn coral, which is currently a threatened species, so snorkelers are advised to not swim over top of the reef.
The shoreline between the west-most reef and the middle reef is rocky and has pockets filled with urchins. Do not enter or exit the water from here. Instead, enter/exit from the sandy shoreline to the right of the middle reef section or to the right of the eastern-most reef section. If you snorkel over to the west-most reef section, be prepared to swim back around the perimeter of the reef to return to the sandy entry/exit points.
Waterlemon Cay
Best for: Experienced snorkelers, short hike, and large cushion sea stars
Waterlemon Cay is a popular snorkeling spot for experienced snorkelers. Snorkel around the cay to see corals, tropical fish, and large cushion sea stars.
Waterlemon Cay is accessible from off the shore with a ~2 mile round trip hike along the Leinster Bay Trail. The entrance into the water is rocky, and snorkelers will need to keep at look out for urchins. Currents are strong along the north side of the cay so it is advisable to stay on the south side of the cay. For safety, always snorkel with a buddy.
Essential Snorkeling Gear
In addition to typical beach gear, be sure to pack these 4 essential snorkeling items for snorkeling in St. John’s Virgin Island National Park:
- Reef-safe Sunscreen: During your visit, remember to use reef-safe sunscreen to help keep the reefs healthy and beautiful.
- Rash Guard: Wearing a rash guard helps to further protect skin from the sun and is also reef-friendly!
- Snorkel Gear: We invested in snorkel gear many years ago, and we have found that it has definitely been worthwhile to buy versus rent for two main reasons – convenience and quality. The quality of snorkel gear makes a huge difference in the snorkeling experience. We own dry snorkels, which is a type of snorkel that has a valve at the top that closes when you go underwater so the tube doesn’t fill water. I originally had an old semi-dry snorkel and although it had a splash guard, I got water in the tube all the time. Many rental shops only carry classic snorkels or semi-dry snorkels. When purchasing a snorkel gear set, a dry snorkel is the way to go.
- Waterproof Pouch: Keeping you belongings with you while swimming is recommended rather than leaving them on the beach or in a car where they are more likely to be stolen. A waterproof pouch with a waist strap can be used to hold belongings such as a cell phone, wallet, or keys and keep them dry while swimming and snorkeling.